Mike Tyson enters the ring on July 20, less than two years after suffering damaging back pain and needing a wheelchair.
Tyson labeled his recovery from a nerve ailment ‘a miracle’ as he finally got cured after twenty years of excruciating aching he first revealed in 2003.
After facing Clifford Etienne in the only victory Tyson scored in his last four bouts, “The Baddest Man on the Planet” revealed his ongoing problem to reporter Jim Gray. It turned out to be one of the most famous post-fight boxing interviews ever undertaken.
“I broke my back,” said Tyson. Gray responded, “What do you mean by that?”
Tyson answered, “My back is broken.” Again, a bemused Gray asked Tyson, “A vertebrae or what portion?
Unbelievably, Tyson uttered the immortal words, “Spinal.” Then, stating that a motorcycle accident caused it.
“I had to get an operation. So I tried to explain my situation but wasn’t eloquent enough to do it the way I wanted it to be explained.
“I think it’s very funny. ‘What’s wrong, Mike?’ – spinal,” he added jokingly.
However, until recently, Tyson needed a wheelchair and a can to maneuver following an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. Tyson had never used either until he traded blows with Jones.
It’s obvious the fight made the situation worse, and Tyson still hadn’t received any significant treatment that worked to help him.
He then met Dr. Abhinav Gautam, and during an appearance on his podcast with his new-found savior, Tyson opened up that he actually did fight with a broken back. Gautam and Tyson explained the situation.
“Mike has a very famous case of something called ‘failed back surgery syndrome,’ said the doctor. “So you had famously told the world that, in one of your last fights, you were basically fighting with a broken back.
“That chronic wear and tear resulted in some nerve damage. You had an operation. I’m not sure if it helped you at the beginning?”
Tyson responded: “No, it never helped. I had a cage in my back. But I guess for a while, it did because I fought with it.
“I guess it did for a while, but the wear and tear just wore it down.”
Gautam added: “Before I met you, I saw in November last year there was a photograph of you in a wheelchair. Serendipity brought us together [and we agreed on a procedure to trick the mind].”
Tyson replied: “It’s a miracle, as I didn’t know what would happen with my life. I was scared I was going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
“Things go through your mind with your health, especially when your back hurts. You get so discouraged. When your back hurts, you think there’s nothing I can do and feel useless.”
Health risk
Now, just a short time later, Tyson will risk his health again, this time against a 27-year-old YouTuber who can throw a punch. If Tyson gets hit in the wrong place, there are real fears for his long-term mobility.
Although only touted as an exhibition, his opponent, Jake Paul, plans to have a ‘real fight’ with Tyson. If that happens, the heavyweight would need to score an early knockout, or he could get into trouble after the first few rounds.
No real success stories accompany a boxer who returns to the ring at Tyson’s age. His rival Evander Holyfield was pummeled in 109 seconds by Victor Belfort in 2021.
Many others return and lose, leaving the possibility of Tyson getting knocked out by a YouTuber as a live concern heading into the summer sideshow.
Read all articles and learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor Phil Jay.
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